A recent study has shown that a type of treatment may help ease the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease like sleep and mood. PLOS ONE published a study on Dec. 6 that revealed light therapy could be a valuable tool to ease Alzheimer’s symptoms.
Previous research found that 90% of people living with Alzheimer’s deal with psychobehavioral symptoms, and 70% of people who have the disease deal with sleep disorders. The study analyzed 15 randomized controlled trials that found that photobiomodulation, a type of light therapy, can improve sleep and psychobehavioral symptoms.
Since the study’s sample size was so small, it can’t be recommended, but further studying can be done for it to one day become a recommendation. A red light is usually used for photobiomodulation.
Light therapy can help people fall asleep faster, reduce insomnia, and increase total sleep time and the quality of sleep. The increased sleep can reduce the caregiver burden in people with Alzheimer’s. Health reported that light therapy influences serotonin and dopamine levels, which contribute to improved mood and cognitive function.
Two to three sessions of light therapy per week are recommended for 10 to 30 minutes per session. Light therapy is often done at night unless someone has trouble waking up from it; in that case, they are done in the morning.
